


Tales of the Valley

by Jay_with_Splice



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Depression, Everyone is in this, Family Issues, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Multi, Slow Burn, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:04:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9803711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jay_with_Splice/pseuds/Jay_with_Splice
Summary: Shane isn't sure how he feels about the new farmer. Everyone else seems to like him; even Jas and Marnie. He's not so sure what he's missing.





	1. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new farmer moves into town! He's nervous of taking hold of such a big responsibility, but he's determined to see this through to the end!

The bus ride wasn't as bad as he originally thought it'd be. Compared to the city buses, this one was small and not-so-filled. It was quiet, comfortably so, and even the tired mother who sat beside him was friendly. She even let Willis play with her newborn daughter! The baby was quiet and very sweet, allowing the soon-to-be-new farmer bounce her gently and coo sweetness at her. His keeping an eye on the little girl helped her tired mom get some sleep. It also gave Willis time to think about how he got here.

For five years, Willis worked in a pathetic cubicle at the JojaMart Company. The job had been emotionally, mentally, and physically draining. Every night he came home too tired, too broken, and too depressed to do much of anything. His mom had begun to worry about him, his brother and sister as well. And then, one day when he had been rifling through his desk at work, he found the letter his grandfather left to him. Although his Boss wasn't too happy about the resignation letter he put in the next day, Willis vowed to never step foot inside a JojaMart again.

The baby made a fussy noise when the bus drove through a pothole, but she quieted down quickly. The bright neon sign of the bus shone with its next designation. Pelican Town. A home away from home for Willis and his family. They all used to go there for a visit whenever the kids got time off. But times change like the seasons. His parents split, the hormone treatments, his grandpa's funeral....it all left the family broke. And in Willis' inheritance, he got the farm, the land, everything. Needless to say, his biological father was FURIOUS about it.

"Now entering Pelican Town."

The voice over the intercom woke up the mom; her sleepy, dreary grin stole Willis' own from him. "Oh, I hope she wasn't too bad.." She drawled, her voice riddled with exhaustion. Upon looking to her temporary companion, she laughed, pleased that Willis had taken care of her daughter so well. With a little wave, Willis passed her back and stood. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, sauntering off the metal contraption as it pulled to a stop. The bus driver gave him a grin as he stood himself, helping Willis take the remainder of his luggage off the top.

Close to night now, Willis still found himself thankful for the fresh air and calming breeze.

While it had only been the bus stop, there happened to be numerous new things to see. Pulled up on the side of the road was another bus, broken down obviously. There was a nice, down to eathh feel for this place with the trees and bushes and the nicely kept dirt path. The grass and leaves were a healthy green while the bushes held colorful buds ready to sprout. The wind rustled the trees; dandelion puffs were blown airborne....

"Helloooo!!!" Willis' attention was immediately caught by a voice. Standing near the far fence was a woman much older than he. Her hair was a flamboyant red and was pulled up into a high ponytail. Her smile was kind and Willis barely acknowledged the bus pulling away from the curb as she approached him. "You're Willis, right? The new farmer?" She beamed a bit brighter at his nod of affirmation. "Great! I'm Robin! The local carpenter here. Mayor Lewis asked me to come get you. I'm here to show the way to your new home."

"Oh that's good..." Willis laughs thankfully. When she turned the lead the way, Willis moved to follow. Now, having worked at a desk a good portion of his life, it left him out of shape and not at all ready to start farming. Even so, trying to keep up with Robin and her brisk pace could be considered a chore. Willis was sure he'd gain the muscle eventually and Robin was kind enough to slow down.

They quickly came to a crossroad; the directions were marked by a white picket sign. To the left lay the heart of Pelican Town, still bustling with life. To the right was a run-down fence gate blocking off the pathway to a large, old house. From where he stood, Willis could see a flurry of overgrown weeds and trees in front of the house. Trees, bushes, weeds....the front yard had it all. Robin caught his look of dismay.

"Now it may not look so good now, but the soil underneath is still good." Robin's voice is reassuring, helping to calm his nerves. And that is when the front door chooses to slam open. Out through the door came an old man, a paperboy cap pulled over his grey curls. The handlebar mustache he had in plain sight on his upper lip was finely styled, while his clothes remained clean despite all the dirt he was surrounded by. Upon spotting the two of them at the bottom step, the old man grew excited, hurrying down to meet them.

"Welcome to Huntley Farm! My name is Lewis, mayor of Pelican Town." Lewis held his position like a badge of honor. He stepped down the remaining stairs to look at the small home with them. Even with the rest of the land looking like a forest, Willis could see how much Lewis loved the house itself. "You must be Willis, the grandson of my dear friend...I kept the place clean for your arrival! It's a good house. Very rustic.-"

"Rustic?" Robin spoke up, her tone teasing.

"Anyways!!" Lewis spoke up again, interrupting her before she could continue. "You must be tired after your long journey." The friendly mayor began to motion Robin away, choosing to give Willis time to get acquainted with his new home. "The shower and bathroom are back behind the house if you need them. Have a good night!" Lewis waved him goodbye, Willis returning it with a grin.

The door to the cabin had been left open, so Willis took advantage and headed up the stairs and into the home. He closed the door behind himself, surveying the layout. There were a few pieces of furniture inside: a tv, an old table, a bed....even a fireplace! A package had been left on top of the table along with a small silver key. It was probably to the house itself. With a content sigh, Willis drops onto the bed, dumping his luggage on the ground in front of him. The land was secluded from the rest of the town and the property was huge. How on Earth was he going to take care of this place?

Eventually, Willis grabs his luggage, emptying it of its contents. While he was exhausted, he might as well get some unpacking done. Sure, he didn't have all of his things, but the moving truck should be here sometime this week. From his luggage, Willis removes a few photo-frames. Some were of his mom and brother and sister, faces all bright and smiling. The letter from his grandfather had also been stuffed into this backpack, along with old items from the original house so long ago. The banners of monsters he hung on the walls and the single photo he had of his grandpa was left on the table.

What had possessed his grandfather to leave this entire place to him? Why not his brother? His mother? Either choice would have been better. Willis was a scrawny desk worker who didn't know how to run a farm.

But that didn't mean he couldn't LEARN.

Everything his grandpa did was self-taught, as he had always boasted to the family about it. If his grandpa could do it, then Willis most definitely could! In a bout of determination, Willis swiftly unpacked the rest of his knickknacks, going so far as to polish each one AND the rest of the home itself.

He would make this work. Willis was determined and he will make his grandpa proud.


	2. Stardrop Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Convinced into leaving his house by an over-enthusiastic Emily, Willis is given the opportunity to meet a great portion of Pelican Town’s residents. Especially a certain grouchy JojaMart worker.

“Come to the saloon tonight! I promise you’ll meet so many different people!” Emily was the fourth person to introduce herself, right after Robin and Lewis. She had spotted him while he paroozed the seed shelves at the local general store. And now? Now he couldn't get rid of her. The owner laughed behind his hand as the blue-haired beauty followed along after him. "Please, please please please pleaseee?" Willis, with his collection of bean starters, frowned at her tone.

"I don't know...I'm not really a saloon-goer." The man, who he could only assume was Pierre, gave a nod to Willis as he approached to pay for his items. They exchanged a few pleasantries as Willis handed over the exact amount.

"You got here on Monday. You've been a hermit for the entire week you've been here!" her hands went to her hips, eying him as he gathered up his supplies. "It's time you get out and meet everyone!" Willis flushed. He knew she was right. For the entire week, he'd chosen to focus on the farm, especially after finding the note on his grampa's shrine. It had made him anxious and want to keep to himself. Just him and Bobo, the orange tabby a neighbor had given him that very morning. "C'mon, please?" Resigned, Willis gave in and got an excited squeak. "Great!! I'll see you at the Stardrop at five!" And out she bounded. Willis stood there, at the counter, for a few long minutes. Pierre's laughter was the only thing that snapped Willis out of his stupor.

"Good luck!" He called after him as the farmer took his leave.

When Willis arrived back at home, he dumped the bean starters on the front porch, being mindful of the orange tabby that had come close to get his attention. He takes a few moments to scratch the base of Bobo's tail, looking out across the field. Over the course of the week, Willis had been able to clear out a vast majority of the weeds and unwanted trees. The property itself was still messy, but he loved how it all was coming along. 

It ended up taking the farmer a few hours to set the poles, plant the seeds, and to water them all. It was a slow process and by the time Willis was done, he was soaked through with sweat. Wiping the moisture from his brow, he checked the time. Four o'clock. He only had an hour to get ready. Setting his tools on the porch, Willis jogged around the back of the house to jump into the shower. The cold water did wonders at rinsing away his sweat, but none of his worries were washed away. What if nobody liked him? What if they constantly talked behind his back and think him strange for taking over a farm when he knew nothing  about farming? Willis wanted nothing more than to stay here and hide. Meeting new people was HARD. Unfortunately, he promised Emily, so Willis begrudgingly got out of the shower, hurrying into his home before anyone saw him.

Changing into a nice shirt, clean pants, and comfortable shoes, Willis quickly attempted to tame his hair before heading out. He made an effort to avoid the mud on the way into town.

Pelican Town was peaceful now. It wasn't too dark yet, so following the pathways was easy. All around him he could see people walking about. Over near Pierre's was a blond he had met very briefly. Too briefly. All she had to do was remark on the dirt on him and he was annoyed. Passing her just then were two kids, a boy and a girl. They were running and skipping and laughing as they practically forced their caretaker to try and keep up with them.

"Willis!" Willis' attention caught, his head turns towards the South. Here, he sees a short, plump woman bustling towards him. Oh shoot! What was her name again? Maru? Mina? Crap! He felt bad considering she GAVE Bobo to him this morning! He was an awful neighbor... "How's little Bobo settling in?"

"Like a fish to water." Willis replies, his grin only a little nervous. "Are you heading to the saloon too?" She nods.

"Of course! I meet mayor Lewis there every Friday night to chat with him." By the end of her sentence, a light flush colored her cheeks. Oh. Oh!! Oh man Willis' grin turned goofy, quirking up the corners of his lips. For a little bit, he lost himself in his conversation with her as they came up to the front door of the saloon. His hand instinctually goes for the handle, pulling it open and holding it there so his companion could enter first.

It was hustling and bustling inside the Stardrop. Groups of people sat scattered around the place, chatting and drinking and overall having a good time. Emily, however, was behind the counter with a portly, yet friendly-looking man. She doesn't notice him at first; Emily chats excitedly with a younger woman. Willis had seen her hanging around with a fancily dressed man a few times.There was a part of him that guessed the two of them were together.

"Willis!!!" Oh...oh no she spotted him. Emily darted OVER the counter, hurrying over to him despite the other bartender's protests. Unfortunately for poor Willis his companion fled his side to talk to Mayor Lewis. The mayor lets out a small exclamation of "Marnie!" and Willis finally remembered her name. "I'm so glad that you made it! C'mon! Lemme introduce you to everyone!" 

"Emily, who's that you have?" The bartender cocks a brow at them as they approach the counter; she happily introduces him as the new farmer and the man grins at him, extending a hand out. Willis took it. "Pleasure to meet you Willis. M'name's Gus if you have any questions that need answers." The woman sitting at the bar raised her arm up. the mug of beer she held swayng heavily in her drunken grip.

"Hey kid! Welcome to town!" Willis found out shortly after that her name was Pam. And this continued on. One by one, people entering the saloon spotted the new farmer sitting up at the counter and one by one, they came up to introduce themselves to him. There was Leah and Elliot, the previous artistic couple that he had seen earlier. They were so radically different that it could be considered hilarious that they were even together. Harvey was next, the local doctor. He was kind and thoughtful to Willis. He even asked if he'd like to schedule a check up soon at a reasonable price! Willis just couldn't sa no.

Off in the game room, three people played pool. They were Sam, Abigail, and Sebastian. They were apparently in a rock band together, but they weren't TOO popular yet. Abigail sat calmly on one of the couches, shifting through cryptid videos on her phone, while Sam and Sebastian battle it out over a game of pool. Willis planned on playing the next game, but Emily called him back over to talk to him. As he reapproached, he takes notice of a new man who entered the saloon. His posture was slouched, a cold mug of beer held tight to his chest. His expression was the most heartbreaking of all, bordering on the very tip of despair.

"Hey Emily. Who is that?" He interrupts her before she could say anything. Her eyes glance over to the lone man, her smile turning sad only a few second after...

"Oh...that's Shane. He's a real great guy! But....he's not too friendly towards newcomers. Or anyone for that matter. It takes him a long time to warm up to people. He works at the JojaMart in town but-" Her voice dies out here, noticing the uncomfortable look that took over Willis' face. "Will, are you okay?" He stopped listening the moment JojaMart was mentioned. He was suddenly overcome with an unending need to check on Shane.

See if he was OKAY.

"I'm....gonna go talk to him." He's moving towards Shane before he could stop himself. Emily opens up her mouth to say something, but decides against it. Shane was huddled uyp in the corner beside the giant bear statue. His gaze rose from his brink, spotting the approaching farmer. He paled impossibly further, but forced his face to drop into an annoyed scowl." Hello....I'm Willis. Emily said your name was Shane?" Shane says nothing, forcing Willis to continue. "I noticed you all alone over here, so I figured-"

"You figured what?" Shane's voice retaliates, startling Willis with the sudden bite of harshness. "Listen, I don't even know you." Willis held his tongue, watching when the mug raises to his lips; Shane takes a long drink from the foaming rim. Willis doesn't know what else to say; his nerves were beginning to get the better of him.

"I...I just...figured I familiarize myself with the townsfolk." He says, proud of himself for keeping most of the stutter out of his voice. Wait....did Shane just...cringe? "But I can leave you be..I'm sorry.." Willis turns away, hurrying off before the man could stop him. He doesn't. Willis drops into the open seat beside Pam, gratefully taking the offered shot of whiskey she held out to him. Emily gives him a light smile from her place behind the counter.

"It's all right Willis. That's just how he acts sometimes....it's nothing against you." And Willis knew. Shane was one of those classic workers that worked behind a desk, angry and tired of where he was in life. And Willis could understand. He had been in those same circumstances before life gave him a chance. And Shane could be given that very same chance with a little bit of help. This meeting only served to fill the new farmer with determination. And he definitely wasn't going to let this slip past him. He was going to help.

Whether Shane expected it or not.


	3. Enter Shane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn't ask to meet the kid this way. He panicked! But there's nothing he can do about it now. Shane's got to live with the choices he makes.

His day started out like any other; it took Shane roughly thirty minutes to drag his tired self out of bed and another twenty to make himself take a shower, brush his teeth, and get dressed. Needless to say, it took the man a lot of time to get himself motivated just to go to work every morning.

Not only was he depressed, filled with thoughts of self-doubt, but his job and Boss made his life the worse of all. All day, from nine in the morning to five at night, Shane made himself work at the JojaMart in town. He wasn't quite forced, even though it really felt like it. Shane just needed the money and Pierre didn't hire anyone outside his family. Not to mention, he really didn't want his aunt to pay him for helping out at the farm. He was already a burden to her. 

But back on track. Shane hated his Boss the most.

His name was Morris. He's the sleazy, conniving manager and sales representative of Pelican Town's JojaMart. Morris lived to make Shane's life a living hell. He treated him like he but a stepping stone in his career to the top of the food chain. Morris looked upon Shane and made him feel even more insignificant than he already felt. If it hadn't been for Jas and Marnie....well...he might not even BE here still.

trudging out of his room, dragging a hand down his face, Shane beelined straight for the kitchen to eat his fill. He didn't bother heating up the cold pizza that he takes from the ridge. For awhile, it's just him in there. Jas is still asleep in her room and Marnie had ran off to the property belonging to the new farmer that moved in.

Apparently, no one has seen hide or hair of him since the farmer moved in. 

Stuffing a bite into his mouth, Shane's head cocked to the door when he hears it open. Marnie comes shuffling in, humming delightfully to herself as she sets her basket aside and enters the kitchen. Shane arches a brow at her. "What's up with you?"

"I went to welcome the new farmer! It seemed so lonely on that big property all by himself, so I went and brought him some strawberries! But on my way over, I spotted a cat on his property...so I brought her along too!" Shane pauses, looking at her in disbelief as she bustles on over to get a pot of coffee brewing. "It seemed like a good idea at the time-" Her eyes jumped to the clock, checking the time. Shane's eyes mirrored her's. Almost time for him to get going. As he pushed himself up to put his plate in the sink, Marnie took a thermos out from the cabinet to make his cup to go.

God he loved his aunt.

Before Shane stepped out into the cold morning air, he snuck in Jas' room to leave a kiss on her forehead. Outside, the cows and goats had taken to the outer pasture, munching on the grass and enjoying the sun on their backs. The town was still asleep at this time as well, giving Shane enough time to enjoy the calm air and the taste of his coffee. It always took him a bit to cross the town and, by the time he reached the sliding doors of JojaMart's entrance, his coffee was gone and he was mentally prepared. 

Ignoring Morris, Shane heads straight to the backroom to tuck his jacket and wallet away. Maureen, the woman who normally worked the register, stood inside their with him, filling the room with the noxious smoke of her cigarette. She ignores him completely, as normal, so he makes his escape to get to work. It looked like Sam was already here, sweeping the floors and looking busy. When Sam spots Shane ducking down beside the shelves, he subtly moves closer, pretending to be cleaning. When Morris looks away to welcome a customer, Same gives Shane a grin.

"Hey Shane. How are ya?" He keeps his tone quiet so Morris couldn't hear them speaking to each other.

"Just fine." Shane mutters, looking between two different bags of chips. Spicy and volcano. Disgusting.

"Going to the saloon tonight?" Shane sends him an obvious look, making Sam laugh sheepishly. They didn't notice, at first, that they had caught Morris' attention. Alarmed, Sam skittered off before Morris could snap at him to get back to work. His attention went to Shane instead.

"SHANE!" Morris yells, face turning red in anger. "I don't know if you noticed, but you still have a LOT-" he accentuate the word by shoving over a stacked tower of canned water. "-of work to do! Socialize in your free time!"

"Yes sir..."

The rest of the day continued on slowly. Time ticked by while Shane spent the majority of it stocking and restocking items. It's an incredibly slow process that's dueled by Morris coming up to him just to tell him to restock or restack something differently. When five'o'clock hit, Shane clocked out quickly and hurried towards the exit before Morris or anyone ELSE could stop him. 

Fresh air hits him and all Shane could do was sigh. He was so tired and sick of today. His body was telling him to go home and get some sleep, but his brain wanted to go to the saloon to drown his sorrows. Lone fireflies drifted through the air, trying to glow as well as they could in this lighting. Shane, however, just couldn't get today out of his head. Sam always got out of work before him; it was like Morris didn't want to keep him around. In a way, Sam made work more entertaining. It was obvious that Morris wanted him to suffer.

He stomps across the bridge, making a face at Maureen as she beelines past him, heading to her care she parked at the bus stop. Shane takes the opposite path, heading down past Alex's doghouse and getting his tired body inside the saloon. There was a small crowd at the counter, but all he wanted was to get to his corner and try to enjoy the rest of his night. Pulling up a stool, he tucked himself up against the bear statue, giving Gus a small smile when he approached.

"Hello Shane. Doing good tonight?" A mug of beer is set near him; it's taken into his lap easily.

"As good as it can get." He replies, raising his beverage up to his lips to take a long, hearty drink.

"You meet the new farmer?" Before Shane could deny Gus' question, the bartender mildly gesture down the bar. There he sees Emily leaning against the counter, chatting with an unknown male. His hair is dark, not quite long but retaining a fluffy appearance. The farmer looks worried, hazel eyes sad and eyebrows knife downwards to portray a pure form of worry.

What was Emily saying?

Shane could only watch as the farmer pushing himself off the counter. Those eyes fell on him. What did she tell him? Why was he coming over? His grip on his mug tightened impossibly so; Shane's gaze darkened at being unable to think of anything to say. There was only one thing he could resort to at a time like this. 

"Hello." His voice was just what Shane pictured it'd be; soft, yet warm around the edges. "I'm Willis..." His voice turned to white noise after his name was spoken. For a short amount of time, Shane wondered if it was short for anything. Nah. He doubted it. As Shane takes in the new farmer's appearance, he remains blissfully unaware of what Willis is actually saying. "-I noticed you all alone over here, so I figured-"

"You figured what?" Shane suddenly cuts in. The accidental harshness of his tone startles Willis. He feels guilty almost immediately, but he's already started on this path. He needs to finish it. "Listen, I don't even know you." To finish off that statement, Shane raises his mug to take a long, slow drink from his beer. Willis looked forlorn and nervous, skittish like a deer in headlights. In the next second, before Shane could even open his mind, Willis apologized and excused himself, hurrying back towards the counter.

Damnit....

His gaze drops back to the floor, purposefully avoiding the look Emily shot him. Speaking to other people was hard, especially new, skittish farmers who looked like he'd cry if he said something wrong. It was a defense mechanism for Shane. Being mean meant he couldn't disappoint them in the end.

One by one, people began to leave. Marnie came up to him, telling him to be safe, that she loved him, and that she'll leave the door unlocked for him when he decided to come back home. After a quick hug, she scurried out out of the Stadrop with Lewis in tow.

Around nine-thirty, Shane's eyes caught Sam and Abigail dragging the new farmer out of his seat, chatting to him in voices too low. Emily's cheerful "goodnight!" came only moments before the group scattered out the door. At least he did manage to make some friends. But now, with Emily's distraction gone, she subtly moved closer to him. Uh oh. Shane set his empty glass down on the counter, jamming his hands into the pockets of his jacket. 

"Turning in early. Night." Emily's mouth snapped shut. She knew his days at work were harsh; yelling wouldn't do much to deter him. Just make him feel worse. "Sorry Em. I have tomorrow off, so we'll talk then, okay?" She seemed to ponder this, hands crossed over her chest. Eventually, she smiled, bright and warm. Shane basked in it.

"All right. I'll be over at your house around ten. Be safe, Shane." Bouncing forward, Emily hugs her friend tight. He returns it with one arm wrapping around the small of her back. The touch is comfortable. Helps Shane calm down. Helps him feel just a little bit better after today. They separate, and Shane feels a little warmer. 

"Kay. Night Emily. Night Gus!" Calling to the man behind the counter, and getting a wave goodbye in return, Shane took his leave, stepping out into the cold night. Already, he dreaded tomorrow.


	4. Junimos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They look like little apples, bounce around like rabbits, and sound like little bells. The Junimos are certainly some cute little spirits. Thank goodness they're so eager to help him!

It was in shambles, to put it lightly. The Community Center has seen better days. Back then, when his grandfather was still alive and everything in Stardew Valley was perfect, the Community Center was the pride and joy of Stardew Valley!! Only now, the tiles on the roof were falling off, vines and plant life grew up the sides and around the broken clock, and even the stepping stones leading up to the door weren't looking so good. At the time, Willis was scared to even see the inside...

It only took seeing some spirits, meeting a Wizard, and giving a single Junimo a bundle of foraged things to know what it was that these little guys wanted. The Junimos, which is what Rasmodius called them, had moved into the Community Center because they wanted to help. Not to mention, the Community Center was the perfect place for them to go! Someone would someday want to try and fix it!

And Willis was that somebody. 

He had looked upon that Community Center and vowed to not let JojaMart or Morris get their grimy hands on the place. The Junimos were ready, Mayor Lewis couldn’t bare the thought the selling the place, and Willis wasn’t ever going to buy a membership. Things worked out perfectly.

So now, all he had to do was collect.

For the first two days, the seventh and eighth, he took the time to investigate the building, look at all the notecards of items the little ones requested from the valley, and go through old, dusty boxes he found. The Junimos hung around the center, only appearing when he entered the ransacked building. They’d bounce excitedly, hoping and wondering if he had something for them. For a few minutes, they were timid of him, vanishing when he appeared through the doorway, but he'd spent so many hours there that first day...they simply grown used to him.

There was a part of Willis that wanted to name them.

There was a part of him that _did_.

Willis named them based on the places he found them. There was Soot, Cash, and BB. Soot loved hiding out in the Boiler Room, Cash in the Vault, and BB was constantly trying to organize the bulletin board. The other three were Fish, Doodle, and Apple. Fish liked the broken aquarium, Doodle played with crayons in the ramshackle art room, and Apple liked the pantry. Really, all their names spoke for themselves, and the fact they were getting used to them really meant that they were bonding.

“Whoa! Whoa! Down Fish!” Laughing, Willis stepped around the little Junimo, ducking down in front of the Aquarium’s box. A Smallmouth Bass was loaded into it, followed by two more river fish, and the remaining ocean fish he had needed. Fish chirped and jumped at the finished Ocean Bundle. 

With a flourish of magic, a colorful tarp bundled the fishy items together. It hefted its gift over its head, and teetered off towards their hidey hole to pay Willis back for his kindness. He’s gotten a strange assortment of items from them. He’s finished one or two bundles up until now, thanks to the strange gypsy woman who sold items smuggled out from Gotoro City. She had told him, quite sneakily, that she showed up in Pelican Town every Friday and Sunday. He'd have to keep an eye out for her.

She made it easier, but until he gets his farm going, the animal products section may take awhile. But hopefully soon, he could get himself a silo AND a coop built.

Tiny tugging on his pant leg.

Fish had returned from his little journey home; one tiny hand held tight to his pants, the other kept a box balanced on its head. “That mine?” Willis asks the spirit quietly, a teasing grin growing. It offered the little box to him again, and this time, Willis took the gift from his little friend. He sat on the ground, undoing the string of twine that kept the box together. Inside the box? 

A tiny totem?

Okay?

The totem is set down on the ground beside him; Willis takes the time to watch Fish release his pants. The Junimo looked quite pleased with itself as it skittered towards the fish tank. Its hand touches the broken glass, a single flower growing upon the surface. The small area around the flower began to fix itself. Trails of magic danced along the shattered glass, repairing it as it trailed upwards towards the flower.

And then it was gone. 

The flower and fixed glass remained; Fishjumped and bounced away from its handy work, singing its delightful tune of chimes and squeaks. That’s one happy Junimo...but Willis isn’t done just yet. He’s got one more room to visit. 

Willis pushes himself up to his feet, trudging off in the direction of the office. More specifically, the vault. He had finally gotten enough money to afford, at least, two of the monetary payments. Why Junimos needed money was beyond him. 

Cash was bouncing on the broken down desk when he walked in. The Junimo let out an alarmed squeak, nearly falling off the desk if Willis hadn’t rushed forward to catch the spirit before it hit the ground. Cash was small in his hands and, out of embarrassment of what just tok place, Cash’s body vanished with a chirp.

“Aw...poor guy.” Willis chuckles lightly, hands already on the move to find and recover his wallet. He took a seat in the miraculously creaky swivel chair, tapping at the Junimo’s box. “C’mon Cash. I got stuff for you.” Willis coaxed the spirit back into view. Cash was back on the desk, not so happy or cheerful a before yet still eager to see what it was that Willis got him. 

As if the Junimo didn’t know.

“I don’t get why you want money of all things.” Counting out a total, Cash happily took the amount that was offered. Stick-like hands weighed the amount; the Junimo only called upon its magic to wrap up the bundle when Cash knew the total was correct. It vanished briefly to poof its way safely to the floor; Willis felt inclined to follow the spirit as Cash left with its gift.

The chair squeaked in protest when Willis spin in it. Anymore abuse like this and it’d fall apart. He gets up, pushing himself to his feet and sauntering out after Cash. A good number of the other Junimos were bouncing about their home, singing as they did so. Willis found that these little guys were a happy bunch; they were excitable and sweet, and just balls of energy. They were also very adorable, which was a nice bonus.

Their soft chirping got his attention and Willis found himself staring at three large bags of what looked like...Quality Fertilizer?

This shit was expensive!

Eyes sparkling, Willis’ hands touched the orange packaging carefully, afraid of accidentally puncturing the flimsy material. And there was Cash; the Junimo was bouncing and being a happy little spirit off near the Junimo’s hut. Man, Willis should have gone and brought his grandfather’s old wheelbarrow with him. It’d certainly make it easier to carry all of these home. Eh. He’ll come by tomorrow with it.

“Can you keep an eye on these right now?” He asks them, seeing each Junimo look between the bags and their large human friend. “I don’t have any way of getting them home. Until tomorrow that is...” They crawled around the bags, using their combined strength to move the fertilizer into their tiny hutch. “Thank you. I’ll see you all tomorrow, okay? Hopefully with more to give you.” That got a few cheerful noises from them as Willis stood, and headed for the door.

He exited the building, pocketing the weird little totems he received from the Junimos with care. He was sure glad these were at keast small. Still, Willis toyed with one of them, wondering how it worked. Turning it over in his hands, Willis eventually gave up, tucking the small thing into his backpack with the others. Taking the path back to his house, Willis didn’t bother stopping until his shoes tapped along the cobblestone paths.

While not the same as the city in any way, Willis greatly enjoyed all the little creatures he found himself seeing. Slimes in the caves, apple-like spirits in the forest and Community Centers...

Wizards.

It was definitely a change of pace from his home. The house he was in was small, but comfortable. His property was overrun by branches and trees and weeds but the townsfolk were nice, friendly, and open. Well, most of them were. But the point was that he was genuinely happy here. It’s only been a week, but he wasn’t lonely. No.

Willis had so many people standing beside him, and with him. Even little supernatural creatures gave him a hand. Now that? That was an advantage to this. And he wasn’t going to quit.


	5. The JojaProblem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Untrusting and rude, Morris lives among the citizens of Pelican Town. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to take 'no' for an answer when it comes to a certain farmer turning down the JojaMart membership.

Ever since Mayor Lewis opened up the door to the Community Center, Willis had been seeing an awful lot of the Representative and Manager of JojaMart, Morris. The man was pudgy, dark-haired, and untrusting. Buying seeds at Pierre’s? There was Morris trying to bribe him with discount coupons. On his way to fish? Sure enough, Morris was there trying to convince him to buy a membership.

But like _HELL_ was he going to.

Morris sometimes left the sanctuary of his store, sometimes joining in on the festivities, but it was only to make sure the townsfolk knew about the current discounts. Talk about being a sellout.

Willis had hoped to not see a lot of the man,yet he seemed to pop out of nowhere. He hated the sly grin grin he’d give him; the stares alone made Willis uncomfortable. Thankfully, his face was easy to ignore in certain festivals. The farmer often found himself easily distracted by the townsfolk hanging around.

But just the fact that Morris was constantly hanging around him? Annoying. Willis had told him he wouldn’t be buying a membership the day he met the guy. Morris just didn’t want to take _**no**_ for an answer. And Yoba did he hate him. Probably the only person in town that he didn’t like.

Which is where he found himself currently. Leaning up against the counter at Pierre’s, idly chatting with the store owner as he wrung up the amount for the backpack. It wasn’t necessarily the biggest Pierre offered,but it’d help Willis carry more things throughout the day. Willis liked Pierre’s General Store for two reasons: one, it was a nice, family friendly store with more than welcoming people and two, it was _faaaar_ closer to walk to than JojaMart.

“Bobo? Yeah! She’s doing good. Catches the mice quick on the farm, chases off the crows...she’s pretty handy.” Pierre nodded, smiling as he typed into the keys on his register. “Not at lazy at all, super friendly...she’s a great cat.”

“A good pet to have on a farm!” Pierre exclaims. “Although, when you start getting cows, goats, sheep...you’ll need a good dog to help herd them into the barns at night.”

“Yeah.” Snickering, Willis handed over the money for the backpack. The pack was a nice green color, vibrant in a way that reminded Willis of grassy hills. “Thinking about an Australian Shepard. Or a Collie.” He pulls the backpack over his shoulders; the weight was comfortable, not to mention big enough to easily tote his tools around with him.

“Any dog could be a herding dog if trained right.” Closing the drawer to his register, Pierre gave a quick look around just to make sure his other customers were fine. Off in the far corner, Marnie was going through mason jars and egg containers alike, humming softly to herself. Demetrius’ hands were rifling through shell samples that Pierre had in stock, and Jodi was buying some seeds herself.

Content and cozy.

“Was wanting a big dog...say, can you throw in some cat food too-” Willis’ question was interrupted by the door opening. In came Morris like a foreboding presence. Pierre grew still, narrowing his eyes at the man from behind his glasses. Willis grew uncomfortable, pressing his back against the counter in an attempt to put some distance between them. Morris didn’t notice the movements, simply looking around the store as if it were an eyesore.

“Come and get it!” He shouts, alarming everyone in the store. “Coupons for JojaMart for items up to fifty percent!”

“Fifty percent?!” Pierre’s yell of shock is loud in Willis’ ear. Morris waves the coupons over his head; Willis and Pierre could only watch as Marnie, Demetrius, and Jodi walk closer to investigate. Morris passes out the coupons to them, grinning snidely to himself as the trio scurries outside. They’re probably heading to JojaMart now. “I...I can’t compete with that! I’ll be ruined-”

“Oh it must be so hard...” Morris drawls, stalking towards the counter. “...to lose your loyal customers like that. But I digress; Joja is simply superior!” Eyes shift to Willis, who narrowed his eyes right back at him. “It’s only a matter of time before everyone in town realizes it.” He leans back, flashing a cruel grin at his competitor. “So what about you, farmer? Ready to join our family?”

“Uhh...no. I’m good.” Willis’ hands raise in defense. Morris cocks a brow at him curiously. “I kinda prefer quality over quantity anyways...” He whispers it to Pierre. The store owner snort out loud, and the smile on Morris’ face is gone immediately. He must have heard him.

_ Oops. _

“Excuse me?” Morris; scowl darkens. Another reason why Willis didn’t like Joja. Unfriendly service. “What...did you say?” A look is sent to Pierre; he’s looking a little pale. Time to put his big boy pants on.

“I said I prefer quality over quantity. Let’s be real here Morris. I’ve seen first hand how nasty JojaMart makes things. Besides, as a farmer, buying the best seeds from the best place is priority number one.” Morris’ face is turning red from rage; steam would probably start blowing out his ears at any second. “I also like Pierre’s service.”

“His service?!” Morris raged, keeping his snarling down to a minimum. “JojaMart’s service to their customers is our main priority!”

“What’s with the coupons then?” Willis retorts. “Pierre doesn’t issue out all these coupons. No new ones are made any week, he has that cash back rewards program. It’s subtle and not overbearing.” His shoulders shrug, pleased that his words made Pierre relax a little bit. This was all so much better. When Morris didn’t reply, he shakes his head in a disappointed fashion, adjusting the backpack on his back into a better position. “Anyhow, I have a cat to get home too. Bye Pierre.” Willis waves to the General Store owner as he leaves, ignoring Morris all together.

Stepping outside, Willis exhales the breath he’d been holding. Confrontations were something he didn’t like to do, but he would if he had to. Morris was the worse kind of person. Demoralizing poor Pierre and stealing his customers like that? Rude and unforgivable. It was the final reason why he hated big companies like JojaMart: they pushed smaller stores out of business. They did whatever possible to take over towns and cities, spreading like an outbreak. 

Willis could guarantee that if Pierre ever closed his doors, JojaMart here would skyrocket their prices and drain the townsfolk of their money!

He needed to finish the Community Center.

JojaMart needed the Community Center so they could bring in more supplies to build their empire here. Lewis said he’d sell the place if one more person bought a JojaMart membership. And not everyone in town had one of them. It wasn’t JUST him. Lewis, Pierre’s family, the kids...who knows?

The door opened behind him, and Willis did good to ignore the man heading back to the JojaMart store. Instead, he busied himself with checking the Help Board beside the calendar. Oh...Clint needed some stone-

_ Huh? It felt like- _

Willis peels the backpack off his shoulders, suddenly scowling hard at the piece of paper that had been stuffed into the top. The coupon is removed ad torn apart. It’s deposited into the nearest trashcan angrily. Even after all that, Morris insisted on trying to make him! Was this how he treated everyone here who didn’t have a membership?!

Apparently so.

Off near the bridge, Abigail was trying to get around the guy. Morris wasn’t letting her pass. The farmer was about to step forward and help, but Abigail was already helping herself. She gave Morris a hard shove, pushing him out of her way. Fuming now, she stormed away from the JojaMart manager and straight towards Willis. Proud of her, Willis could only give her a little grin.

“Can you believe that guy?!” She snarls at Willis, spitting curses beneath her breath. Willis had never seen Abigail so angry. Both turned to glare hard at Morris’ back as he haughtily corrected his stance and continued on his way back to his beloved store. As he entered, Shane and Sam exited.

“God.” Willis spits, frowning as Morris snapped at the two for getting in his way. Abigail’s nose scrunched up in anger at the sight.

“He’s such an ass!” Abigail snaps, finishing Willis’ train of thought. Sam made a hasty escape down towards Clint’s workshop, but Shane braved the yelling, waiting for Morris to stop inside before heading across the bridge. The tired JojaMart worker heard Abigail’s exclamation, pausing to stand next to the fuming duo. He stares between them and the entrance to the store.

“...You guys have _no_ idea.”


	6. The Egg Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He feels like a kid again! But, why on Earth are the eggs hidden so well??

The Egg Festival. He didn’t know what he was expecting.

It was a large event that took up the entire town square. Off in the corner closest to the bus stop, Pierre had set up a stand. He sold a few miraculous things; a unique scarecrow, some house decorations, and strawberry seeds... _wait. Strawberry seeds?!_ Willis bounced up to the counter, stuffing a nice pile of cash into Pierre’s hands. _Strawberries! He needed those!_

Pierre happily offered to hold onto them until the event was over..

Tables were spread out far along the cobblestone paths. The spread of egg-inspired dishes that lay across the tabletops was vastly impressive. Pam was enjoying the food; Gus was with her, making sure to keep the flies off everything. From the looks of it, everyone was here. Even the Wizard, despite the man hiding off away from everybody else.

Sure enough, Shane was there too; the smile on his face was lazy, content and he seemed happy enough. Approaching the table in order to grab one of the devilled eggs, he found he could easily hear Pam’s subdued laughter. Willis leans closer to her. “I put a little special ingredient into the punch~” Oh? Oh! Well, he’d better strive to keep Vincent and Jas away from it. Speaking of, the two kids were currently bouncing around, wanting the egg hunt to start.

He didn’t know what to do with himself really. It was interesting though...Willis felt like he was too old to participate in the Egg Hunt. But it already looked like Abigail and Sam were going to participate in it. Which wasn’t bad. He was glad that people didn’t openly judge others for wanting to act like kids. His old boss use to chide him for decorating his cubicle with small trinkets.

A plate it taken into his hands; Willis grabs a few deviled eggs from the impressive spread of goodies and treats that Gus prepared. He like the festival wasn’t going to start and end just as quickly. He didn’t have to fret over foraging, fishing, or any other of his daily chores. Well, other than watering his crops, but that was a given.

“Are you gonna do the egg hunt?” A sudden voice in his ear makes Willis jump in alarm. He barely manages to catch his plate of food and Sam’s laughter at his floundering makes him scowl. The JojaMart worker is grinning at him, staring at Willis in a mix of joy and deviousness.Either he’s planning something or he was just excessively excited by the egg hunt. “Soooo...you joining in on it?”

“I dunno.” Willis shrugs, picking apart his deviled eggs. “Maybe? I’m not sure yet.” Silence as he tucks an egg into his mouth, but Sam doesn’t look too pleased with his response. 

“C’mon man! It’s real fun!” He goads, “Nothin’ better than running around, looking for eggs to win a prize!” A prize? What kind of egg hunt would have a prize at the end of it all? It didn’t make much sense to Willis, to be perfectly honest, but whatever kept the people participating he guessed. Sam once again spots the confused look, and his hand moves to pat Willis on the back. “Please?”

“Alright, fine fine.” Giving in, Willis sighs out loud, shaking his head at the smiles that grew across Sam’s face. Sam, in retaliation to his agreement, all but bounced away. The excitable blond ran right up to Mayor Lewis, grabbing his shoulder to catch his attention. They exchanged a few words, before the good mayor nodded and raised his hands to bring all attention to him.

“The Egg Hunt will be starting soon! Everyone participating come right up to me, please!”

The egg hunt was announced only a few minutes after that and everybody participating set off. Vincent and Jas headed South, Abigail to the South-East, Maru to the East, and Sam to the North-West. Willis didn’t know which way to go, at first, before he ran off in the same direction Sam had gone. Instead of following him directly, he ran up the path about Evelyn and George’s house.

One egg was hidden behind a tree, another off near the river by Pam’s trailer. Another two were hidden near Mayor Lewis’ house; one in the trunk and one far in the back behind the house. From here, he could hear Sam laughing, Jas’ loud giggling, and Vincent’s feet skipping across the wet grass. Those not quiet participating stood about the main square, chatting and cheering the hunters on.

Spotting another egg, Willis scooped it up without hesitation...until he noticed how empty Jas’ basket was. Feeling kind and generous, when she wasn’t looking, he didn’t hesitate to slip the egg into her basket.

In the end, it was Abigail who took home the prize. With a total of eight eggs, she stood proudly, smiling to herself and listening to the cheers. How she could find so many eggs in such a short time was a miracle by itself. The prize, however, was a hat and some money, so Willis wasn’t too jealous over her victory.

“Congrats Abigail!” Lewis claps his hands together joyfully after handing her the prize she had won. She placed the hat atop her head, the smile on her face cheesy and humorous. This elicited a string of laughter from everybody. Lewis waved his hands and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Enjoy the rest of the festival everyone! Gus’lll be bringing out the ‘eggnog’ later.” Cheers and the joyous and frivolous atmosphere kicked back up.

Depositing the six eggs he found in the nearest basket, he used the crowd to slip closer to where Shane stood, playing with his plate of eggs. Emily was with her sister basking in the amount of eggs found. Haley didn’t look nearly as excited. Her eyes were glued to the screen of her phone. Ugh, even Morris was here. The guy was hiding off in the corner, offering out coupons to anyone who happened to pass by. 

Cringing, Willis turned away to continue hiding among the crowds. And sure enough, the first three he ran into was Sam, Sebastian, and Abigail. Abigail was still wearing the farming hat she had won, but the glow of victory had already moved on. What the trio were talking about, however, would not be easily brushed aside.

“Now that had been a fun year!” Sam was laughing.

“Sam, you threw the rotten egg at Mayor Lewis.” Sebastian cuts in, shaking his head as his eyes survey the growing amount of clouds overhead. Sam scowls hard at him, but it’s Abigail that speaks up next.

“I’m with Sam. That was a fun year! Even when he got the Community Service for the month-”

“Oh come on! That part was an accident and you guys know it!”

“Hello Willis.” Sebastian’s voice cuts the two of them off, and when all three sets of eyes focus on him, he smiles. “You did pretty goof with the egg hunt. Gave Abby a run for her money this year.”

“Literally!” She flashes a sly grin as she waves the money she had won in Willis’ direction. Despite her victorious bought, Willis found it amusing. “Maybe you’ll beat me next year?” While she ponders this, Sam claps him on the back.

“Anyways! We’re heading out to the Snack Place out near Zuzu City! Do you wanna join us on our voyage?” Really, what else was there to do here? His gives the center square a once over; people were still standing about chatting and eating but not doing much else. 

“Yes. Please. I’d greatly appreciate it.” Sam’s loud cheer causes a few people to glance off in their direction, but none of that matters now, knowing that these three were so excited for the snacks they’d soon be chowing down on. His excitement goes noticed by everyone, but it was Sebastian that got the excited man moving back to Robin’s home. 

Apparently Robin was letting Sebastian borrow her car.

“Keep moving guys. We won’t get there if you all are moving so slow. They close at nine.” Up past the Community Center the foursome went; Robin’s car was already pulled out of the garage and ready to leave. All they had to do was climb inside. Settling in his seat, thankfully in the front next to Sebastian, Willis drummed his hands along the top of the dashboard.

“What time will we be back?” Sebastian flashed him the smallest grins.

“Around ten. Probably. Long drive out there. Just tuck up and get comfortable. Least you got the front.”

“Heh. Damn right.”


	7. 20th of Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's starting to think he might have a chance.

Oh dear Yoba, it was Shane’s birthday today.

Willis found himself standing outside of Pierre’s, staring longingly at the calender hanging up beside the event board. Today was the 20th of Spring; not to mention it was a Saturday. That meant Shane didn’t have to work today, which left the man back at Marnie’s house for the majority of the day. 

But Willis didn’t know what to give Shane for his birthday. He’s kept up with every birthday so far, even if it meant going to Pierre’s and buying something for them. He’d gotten Jodi’s help making Vegetable Medley for Mayor Lewis, bought a big bowl of grapes for Vincent, presented a sunflower to Haley, and Pam? Well, she was the easiest to please. Yet, Willis still had to run off to ask someone what they liked best.

But Shane was an enigma. 

The two people who knew what he liked were Emily and Marnie. He could always gopay of visit to one of them after he was done? Making his decision, and with newfound energy, Willis hefts his cauliflower seeds more steady in his arms, and makes a swift run towards his property.If he finished laying out the seeds fast enough, he could catch Emily before she heads out to Gus’ saloon. 

Bobo gave him a curious chirp as he passed by the front porch, her ears perking up slightly as she watched him wander. Willis took the time to plant the crops up and down along the rows he had already made. The strawberry seeds he had bought were coming along quite nicely, not to mention the potatoes were close to being done.

Once he was finished watering them, the farmer took the tabby into his arms and began the journey to Emily’s house. He took the road down by Marnie and Leah’s house, entirely for the fact that he felt like it’d be quicker than going up and around by the bus stop.

Knocking on their front door, Willis wasn’t all too surprised to see Haley answer. Her eyebrow raises slowly at him, the frown on her face apparent. Instead of saying anything, Willis hefts Bobo into a more comfortable position in his arms. Her eyes lowered to the cat at the movement. The frown was replaced almost immediately by a smile when Bobo gave her signature chirp at her. 

Willis doesn’t stop her as she reaches into his arms to pluck the cat from him. With Haley distracted, Willis skirts around her to get to Emily’s door. He knocks gently for a second or two and only a moment later, she answers. “Hi Willis! What brings you by today?”

“Shane does actually...” He gives a shaky grin in response for her knowing snicker. “I don’t know what to get him for his birthday.” He slouches forward, and Emily’s responding laugh sounds like tingling bells.

“You could always go buy him a beer?” She sees him cringe. “Or a pizza? Both can be bought from Gus.” Her hands rest on her hips, cocking her head as she goes deep into thought. “Oooor you could go buy Hot Peppers from Jodi? She grows them in her tiny greenhouse! Or anyone else for that matter. Shane loves peppers.” Now that caught his attention. Hot peppers? Or pizza? Either way, it’d be easy to get his hands on them. They both sounded better than getting him a beer. 

Fiddling with the strings of his hoodie, he thanks Emily profusely for the ideas as he exits her room. He takes Bobo back from Haley, hearing her huff indignantly as he hurries to the door. 

By now, it was twelve; Gus’ place was open and it’d be easy access from here and back home. Jodi? Who knew where she’d be at this time. With the ideas going through his head, Willis figured he could bring some lunch to Shane? Right. Great idea! Let’s just hope Gus had some Red Peppers too.

Destination set, Willis and Bobo made the short journey to the Stardrop Saloon. Unfortunately, it being a food establishment, he couldn’t necessarily let Bobo inside. The tabby gave an offended chirp as her owner disappeared inside. Inside, the air was cool and brisk, sending goosebumps up along Willis’ skin. Gus was polishing one of the tables, preparing for the Saturday rush that would eventually come.

“Afternoon Gus!” The owner’s head snaps up. He turns to him, smiles, and darts behind the counter ready to serve. “I got a doozy for you.” Bouncing up to the counter, wallet tucked into his back pocket, Willis rests his hands on the smooth, slightly damp, top. “I’m gonna need a pizza with hot peppers. Think you can handle something like that?”

“Hot peppers, huh?” Gus arches a suspiciously teasing brow at him. “I still got some hanging around. Give me fifteen minutes to get it all done.” Wiping his hands off on a spare towel, Gus disappears into the back, leaving Willis all along up front. He stayed at the counter, drumming his fingers, kicking his feet, and counting the different bottles of booze on the shelf. When fifteen minutes were up, out came Gus holding a large, slightly steaming pizza box. “That’ll be thirty.” The box is set in front of him and Willis passes the money over quickly.

He had a birthday boy to catch!

“Thank you so much, Gus!” He tells him, running outside into the warm air of Spring. Bobo jumps up from her comfortable position, being quick to follow after Willis as he hurries off to Marnie’s house.

And thank Yoba, he’s there.

Shane is sitting in the kitchen, staring at the wall and seemng to be lost in his thoughts. Marnie waves at him as Willis passes; he knocks on the wall beside the door to catch his attention. Shane did look better than he did when he had first met him back at the Stardrop Saloon. 

“Hey.” Willis greeted, despite the slight frown that began to grow across his face. “I got’cha something?” The frown dropped, and Willis swore he saw a hint of a smile when he placed the pizza box down on the table beside him. “Happy birthday!”

“it is my birthday, huh...?” Shane flips up the lid to the box, warmth growing. “Really. Thanks. I mean it.” The smile on his face was wide when the JojaMart worker turned to face him in his seat. This had to be the happiest he’s ever even seen Shane before. There was a feeling in his chest, warm and fuzzy and indescribable. 

“Hey, uh...listen.” Shane’s voice broke through the haze in his mind. “I was...uh...” He was uncomfortable. Willis could see it on his face, and he knew he shouldn’t push him. “Nevermind.” His slight smile faded some. Willis understood.

“It’s fine. Have a nice day, Shane.” Willis gives him another smile, despite the growing torment that overtakes his earlier expression.

_ **\--** _

It’s hard to watch him leave, Shane decides. It’s also hard to believe that Willis even came to give him a gift. Other than Marnie, Jas, and Emilt, no one else had even considered to get him something. Rolling his shoulders, Shane slouches forward in his seat. At least he didn’t have to spend his Saturdays at work where he knew Morris would even treat him worse. But he couldn’t just let Willis leave... 

“Hey!” Shane speaks up quickly, before Willis even reached the door.

“Yeah?” Willis turns to face him, cocking his head like some curious chick. Wait...did he just think that?

“Uh...do you want to stay? Help me finish this?” Shane (tries to) casually gesture towards the open box on the table. He could see the passive look Willis gives as he glances between the pizza and the open chair. For only a moment, he wanted to know what was going through Willis’ head. But that thought vanished when Willis grinned and plopped himself down in the chair beside him. 

Shane mentally gave himself a pat on his back when he subdued the tiny flutter in his chest, using it as a means to reach out and grab a slice of pizza.

By the time Marnie closed up her shop, Willis and Shane had gone through the entire pizza and ended up chatting for the entire rest of the day. Jas had joined the duo after a day of playing with Vincent. Marnie offered the trio a smile from the kitchen doorway, listening to Willis talk about the city life and how cluttered it was back in Zuzu City. 

Shane’s current grin was genuine, kinder than it had been when he had first met Willis. Her nephew did not have many friends. He wasn’t too close to any of the other townsfolk, so long as you didn’t count Emily. Or Clint on good days. It was just...nice to see him getting along with someone who wasn’t Jas, Emily, or his chickens.

“Oh man.” Marnie pops out of her thoughts when Willis speaks up. The farmer was staring at the watch on his wrist, looking grim. “It’s getting pretty late.” Marnie’s eyes shift to Jas, and the little girl recognizes the look. Her shoulders slouch and Jas bids both Shane and Willis goodnight, before pushing herself off her seat and heading to bed. “I better get going.”

“Are you sure?” Marnie asks kindly. “It is late. You could spend the night. Our couch is open to you.” Shane tenses up at the offer, but says nothing otherwise. Willis himself looks a little hesitant. “You could always head home first thing in the morning.” _Aunt Marnie,_ Shane thinks desperately, _please stop-_

“All right. I suppose I could.” Marnie brightened as Shane’s head whipped around to look at Willis. The farmer had his cat still in his lap, having let Bobo inside those few hours earlier. “Just for the night.” A nod of approval; Marnie hurried out of the kitchen to fetch some warm blankets from her room. Shane, in turn, leans forward in his seat, eyeing the clock and the farmer slowly.

“Are you...uh...sure?” Willis’ grey eyes turn to face him, soft, tired, and lacking in the earlier excitement. Willis was tired and even with how safe this town was, Shane didn’t want him walking home when he was this exhausted.

It was a slow process, but Shane was starting to see what drew a lot of the other villagers to this farmer. He was friendly, smart, and a quick learner. Definitely open, he’d flitter around Pelican Town with a sort of need to get to know people. Willis was human, more human than Shane himself felt.

Biting his lip, Shane berates himself for even questing Willis’ want to stay, but thankfully, Marnie shows up with bushels of blankets held in her arms. Her smile is sweet and bright, instructing Willis to follow after her in order to get comfortable and to show him to which couch he’ll be sleeping on. He watches them go in a silence.

By the next morning, with no more words spoken between them the rest of the night, Willis is gone before Shane even wakes up. 

_Why is he so bad at this?_


	8. Flower Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It isn't like any dance he's been to before, but how it ends is welcomed greatly.

The scent of flowers filled the air, dotting the sky and fields around him with bright colors of all different shades.Willis didn’t really know what to expect when he had spotted the calender earlier in the week.A dance? _Hopefully_ , he had thought, _it wouldn’t be like prom back in high school_. But now that he was there and had gotten a better look at everyone else?

He felt underdressed.

Everybody he saw worn fine clothes. Dresses, tuxes fancy shoes...each person looked so nice...except him. Willis found himself hiding out by Pierre’s stand, hoping he wouldn’t be standing out all the way over here. He didn’t even own a tux or suit. A dress shirt and nice pants? Questionable. They probably didn’t even fit anymore.

“Willis!” Great. Now Emily was coming over. Her dress was a beautiful flowy gown that shimmered and swayed with each step she took. Her hair was groomed nicely, pinned out of her face by sparkling flower-shaped pins. His head went into his hands, cursing to himself quietly. He should have known he had to dress up. “You made it!” She drew up on his left side, smiling sweetly with no ounce of notice for Willis’ attire.

“Yup. Sorta wishing I didn’t now.” Emily’s confusion flickered briefly across her face only a second before she got an eyeful of what he was wearing.

“Oh.” Completely ignoring Pierre’s quiet laughter (and Willis’ horrified embarrassment), Emily skirted back in the direction she had come from. Watching from afar, Willis spies her jogging through the crowd on the floor to get to Jodi. From here, he could see Jodi greet the blue haired beauty, and their words died out in the music. Willis frowns.

“Want anything? I’ll ship everything you buy back to your house.” Pierre flashed him a pearly white grin, which did help ease Willis’ embarrassment. Grabbing the catalogue that Pierre displayed, Willis took the time to flip through the pages to analyze what was being displayed. A rare Scarecrow, huge tubs of flowers, home decorations...

“I’ll take that Rarecrow.” He starts, tapping at the image slowly. “And like...four of the flower tubs.” Pierre inputs the amount into his register; Willis was only just barely able to pay for it all before Emily was running back over.

“Jodi says Sam has an old suit that should fit you!” _What?!_ “Come on! Come on! The dance is going to start soon!” She takes his wrist, all but dragging Willis away from Pierre’s stand. Pierre yells something after him, probably something along the lines of ‘ _good luck_ ’. He’s pulled towards Jodi, who’s laughing behind her hand.

“So you just happen to have one of Sam’s old suits?” Willis questions her as she leads Willis and Emily to a changing station.

“I have one on me in case someone doesn’t dress up.” She winks at Willis, who turns red in response. “Any who, here you go. Change up quick.” Clothes are pushed into his hands, Willis fumbling to not drop them into the dirt. Both girls are smiling at him, one far more sweet than the other. “The dance starts soon.” 

The curtain closes in his face as Willis stands in the small, closed space. For a minute or so, he turns the suit over in his hands, admiring the dark green colors with a faint grin. The darker green reminded him of a body of water riddled with seaweed. It was nice...

Finally, he begins to undress, tugging the suspenders off his shoulders. His shirt follows, being replaced by a much cleaner, much nicer shirt. The material was finely pressed, a little short in the arms, but unnoticeable. The suit jacket follows, somewhat tight around the shoulders, but it’d work out just nice for the day. The pants are easier to put on, but they didn’t necessarily supply any shoes, so his muddy shoes will have to suffice.

He must admit, he ponders while staring at his reflection in the mirror. He does look quite nice.

When he exits the space, the first thing he sees are a few people dancing. Alex and Haley are hand-in-hand, swaying with the music and speaking about something he couldn’t quite hear. Over near the radio stands Leah and Elliot. They are, oh man, chest to chest, foreheads together and seem lost in the beat. Cute. Even the others standing on the outskirts are enjoying the music.

“Does the music ever change from this?” Willis asks Emily, who smiles and nods.

“Slow dances first, as is tradition.” She chides, gracefully taking a few rhythmic steps, following the tune of the music.

“‘scuse me.” Comes a familiar, tired voice.

“Hello Shane!” Emily coos at him. She gets a grumble in response. Willis, however, catches the tiniest hints of a smile as he disappears into the cubby to change. Over near the radio, he notices Sam and Sebastian hassling the Mayor, wanting to change the music. Mayor Lewis kept an attentive eye on them, knowing that if he looked away, they’d get their hands on it.

Standing lazily, Willis watches the couples dance together slowly. It’s sweet, endearing, and makes him feel a little flushed under the collar. Lucky people they were for actually FINDING someone out here in this small of a town. He and Emily watch for a few minutes more; the music begins to kick up. A look over at the radio proves that Lewis had finally surrendered the radio to Sam and Sebastian. 

It’s then that he feels a dainty little hand grab his wrist.

As he’s pulled out onto the dance floor by an excited Emily, Shane comes out of the changing room looking so-very-amazing in his suit. It’s a nice shade of blue, fitting him in a way that makes Willis’ ears turn a little red. Emily catches his blush, snickering to herself as they joined the fray on the floor. The song was upbeat, kicking up in rhythm that had more people darting out to dance. The floor was packed, people bumping shoulders and Willis did his best to not get his feet stepped on.

Getting spun around by an excited and joyful Emily, the farmer almost found himself tripping over a just-as-cheerful Abigail. His hands were caught by said woman, her smile teasing as she stole him from Emily to dance. 

“Two left feet, huh?” She laughed, grinning at him slyly. When the music slowed, everyone else did as well. Abigail helped himself become steady on his feet, and yet her eyes sparkled with joy. “Once Seb and Sam get their hands on the radio, everything gets a little hectic!” The bodies around them begin to shift again, preparing for the next song. “Switching partners again! Don’t get knocked down, farmer!”

Thee music started up, Abigail easily getting lost in the crowd; it was almost as if she was made for it. Hands begin to link up and Willis scrambles out of the way to not get anyone all tangled up...only to bump into someone else. 

Arms wrap around his middle, all but dragging him out of the hectic fray of limbs, dancing, and pointed danger heels. 

“You okay?” Shane’s voice comes in through his left ear. Back to chest, Willis is able to catch his breath and his footing. 

“Yeah...fine.” Willis sends a smile up at Shane and it’s lazily returned. The butterflies in his stomach return as Shane lets him go; Shane doesn’t step away from him just yet yet Willis doesn’t seem to mind. “Don’t like the fray of limbs and people then?”

“I find the outside of it all a lot less claustrophobic than being in with everyone.” Shane’s eyes turn away from him; he’s looking towards the mess that had become the dance floor, and Willis can’t help but flush. He looked so thoughtful, his eyes lidded slightly and the smile on his face soft.

“Would...” Willis pauses, mind reeling with the percussions. He takes a breath, steadies himself, and tries again, “Would you mind if I danced out here with you then?” Willis’ question catches him off guard. he berates himself silently for being so forward, but Shane makes his brain pause with his answer.

“...Sure.” In the next few seconds, his hands are raising. They’re held out to Willis, as if expecting him to lay his own hands over the top of the older man’s. Heart beating in his chest, swallowing down his nerves, Willis tentatively places his hands down on top. Shane’s hands are a little rough, quite the difference from his own. Heartbeat loud in his ears, Willis felt an arm wrap around the dip in his spine, pulling him closer to the older man.

The next song that played, slow and timely, rung in Willis’ ears. It had a gentle sway, mirroring that to the very first song that was played. There was little room to move, but Willis didn’t seem to mind. Shane leads; Willis follows his steps. It’s hard for him to hear even the music by this point. Heartbeat too loud, Shane’s face too close.

The world is melting away. 

It’s just the two of them now, Shane’s humming lowly along with the music. One step back, two steps forward. It’s a dance he knows and has done for as long as he could remember. Space is put between them so Willis can give a little spin under Shane’s outstretched arm. Any onlookers were put out from their minds; their eyes focusing purely on the other they stood before. 

Willis wonders what Shane is thinking, in this time. His face looks so blank, but the tips of his ears and his cheeks are flushed a little red. Shane’s face doesn’t give much emotion, but his eyes. They hold interest, wonder, curiosity; it’s a range of emotions Willis only wished he could name. 

Drawn close again, Willis lets out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He wills his breathing to calm down, slowly steadying his heart. Shane mutters something but Willis can’t hear it. It’s said so quietly, and the farmer wishes he could hear what Shane had said. Perhaps it was said on purpose, to be this quiet? Maybe so. Maybe so.

Clapping draws them out of the trance. The song had ended; their audience had started clapping for those that had taken to the grassy stage. Before Willis could say anything, Shane is stepping away from him. His face is a blushy red mess, and Willis wants nothing more than to step close again. But he keeps himself from doing so.

“Uh...thanks for the dance.” Shane mutters quietly, turning impossibly redder at the crooked smile that began overtaking Willis’ face. “I...” And then he’s turning away, fleeing back towards the table of food before Willis could stop him. He stands there for a few minutes, watching after him as Shane grabs a bottle from the table, cracking the lid and downing the contents. 

“...You’re welcome.” his reply falls on deaf ears. Kicking at the dirt, he turns and heads back into the fray of people, all bowing and clapping and thanking the crowds for their beautiful applause. Emily is at the center of it, rocking on her heels and smiling at the crowd of townsfolk. When her eyes fall on Willis, scratching his head and looking a little down, her smile faded some.

“Willis? Are you all right?” Approaching slowly, Emily draws up on his side, cocking her head at him softly. She’s surprised to see a small hint of a smile, soft and bright and goofy. Grey eyes raised to meet curious hues and she knows something swell happened instantly.

“I’m...I’m great Emily. I really am!”


End file.
